Africa will have at least three new presidents in 2017. In Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will stand down after two six-year terms. She has endorsed Vice-President Joseph Boakai as her successor, but the final decision will rest with voters. In Angola, José Eduardo dos Santos has pledged to hand over to defence minister João Lourenço after 38 years in power. However, dos Santos will remain leader of the MPLA, which assuming it remains the largest parliamentary party, will be responsible for selecting Angola’s president.

In Somaliland, President Silanyo has ruled out standing for another term; but with a severe drought affecting the self-declared state it may struggle to adhere to its electoral timetable. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila’s mandate has expired. A transitional deal has raised hope for elections in 2017 – assuming the necessary resources and political will can be mustered. In neighbouring Rwanda, Paul Kagame will stand for his third seven-year term as president. This was legalised by a constitutional referendum in December 2015.

Kenya will stage nearly 2,000 electoral contests for county assemblies and governors, the Senate and National Assembly, and the presidency. Uhuru Kenyatta hopes to remain in State House for another term. Opposition coalitions are still being finalised, but his most likely main opponent is Raila Odinga, a former prime minister. A snap election will also be held in Lesotho in June.

Use the resources below to explore analysis on upcoming votes and review the outcomes of concluded elections across the continent. We are updating this page on a rolling basis.

Election map

Click on the countries highlighted on the map to browse resources assembled by ARI.

Timeline

The timeline display the polls according to their anticipated dates. Each entry includes a quote, which offers an interesting angle on potential outcomes and political dynamics. All resources have been chosen with a view to encouraging debate, and neither individually nor collectively reflect ARI’s own opinions. Some countries have not yet set firm dates for their polls. We will be updating the visualisation with new information and graphics over the coming months as details are finalised.

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Further reading

Angola

‘Angola’s elections trigger a crisis of legitimacy’
Institute for Security Studies, 8 September 2017 // Paula Cristina RoqueRaises concerns about the way elections were managed in the country and suggests that a more repressive approach to governing is likely to emerge

Democratic Republic of Congo

‘The New/Old Government’
Congo Research Group, 9 May 2017 // Jason StearnsJason Stearns argues that the nomination of a new government has “much more to do with alliance-building and patronage than substance”.

‘What next for the political process?’
International Crisis Group, 21 March 2017 // Hans HoebekeReflects on future political developments in DRC amidst the backdrop of worsening insecurity in the Kasai provinces.